This apparatus pertains to an improvement in the structure of charcoal starters which, as is known in the art, are used for the commencement of the burning of charcoal prior to the disposition of the charcoal within a barbecue cooking device.
As everyone knows, charcoal briquettes cannot easily be lit merely by holding a match to them. It is necessary to use some other means to induce burning. One such means is to use charcoal lighter fluid, but this is slow, and can leave a petroleum taste in the food later cooked. Additionally, certain municipalities, for example, many in the greater Los Angeles Basin are concerned with air pollution, and have banned the use of normal charcoal starter fluid. Also used are electrical resistance heaters which though slow, leave no bad taste. These units, however, require an electrical outlet, and an electrical cord such as is not always available, for example at a park or a beach.
One other way that has been utilized to commence the burning of charcoal is the use of chimney charcoal starters. One such unit is sold under the brand name of the Christen Charcoal Starter. These units are open on the bottom such that a layer of crumpled up newspaper can be inserted up into the unit below a grate. Charcoal briquettes are laid upon said grate, the paper lit, and as the newspaper burns, the radiating and conductive energy from the flames brings high heat to the charcoal briquettes such that they are able to commence burning. See FIG. 1 as typical of the prior art.
While faster and more economical than starter fluid, these charcoal starters are still relatively slow to bring about the burning of the charcoal. One key reason is that all current art chimney charcoal starters use a flat grate of either welded wire, or perforated sheet metal. The instant version of grate uses a non planar, inverted cavity design which promotes faster heating of the briquettes.